Benson Things to Do

Like many cities, towns and states, Benson is no exception when it comes to honoring her fallen. To honor the women and men who bravely fought and gave their lives while in the armed forces/ service of the nation.Locate right next to the railroad tracks on 4th street/ route 80 is a memorial that speaks of selfless sacrifice. Honor them by stopping...

This is one of the parks Arizona boasts of. Located in Benson, it is a system of wet caves. It was discovered by two young explorers in 1974 and remained private up until 1988 when the state of Arizona purchased it, turning it into a state park. Opened April through October, it offers visitors an adventure and a feast to the eyes. Because...

The visitor center/ information center is historic in itself. It is a great historic reminder of the town’s past. In its place once stood the Trans-america train depot; well the idea to build a Trans america rail system to connect the different states did not mature. During its peak, the town was called the ‘Hub’ city because of the connections it...

You have probably heard of the Dragoons if you live in Arizona, or visited the Southwest. The Dragoons are spectacular rock formations of the Texas Canyon in the small Dragoon Mountains. If you take Dragoon Road, exit 318 and head south to mile marker 1, you will get to the amazing Amerind. It is a unique Museum of the Native Americans dedicated to...

Benson is a nice little town right off the Interstate and a great place to gas up, take a break, and sightsee in the area.Facts about Benson ( a big retirement community also)Founded in 1880Elevation: 3,580 feetPopulation: 5,164 (more in winter, less in summer)10 hotels and motels15 RV parks19 restaurants10 fast food locations45 miles from...

Benson's Chamber of Commerce web site you will find access to maps of Benson and a self Walking Tour. I so enjoy this information and appreciate it. So if you have time explore here, you should. One place that caught my eye was the Zearing Merchantile: It was built before the trun of the century during Beson's railroad era. The commerical building...

It reads: "In honor and memory of our men and women in our armed forces who rendered service to our country during wartime and peacetime at home and overseas. We must never forget those who gave their lives for our country."It is located right on the Route 80 (4th Street) and next to the train track. Be careful!Benson Visitor Center (Train...

Although this is just a replica of the train depot that once stood here, it was the beginning of the countries dream of transamerica travel. Benson was called "The Hub City" due to its transcontinental connections through its railroad line and when Route 80 was established. Now this lovely buidling serves as a reminder of Benson rich history and...

Book your tour in advance. You have to telephone - no facility to book online. Be prepared to abandon your bags, cameras, jackets etc as they will not be allowed on the tour. Nice gift shop and exhibits in main building but to get the most from your visit you realy do need to take a tour, We did the Big Room - it is only open October 15th to April...

The Foothills Loop Trail is a 2.5 mile long trail rated moderate to difficult. The trail climbs the limestone hill north of the cave and descends into the wash that follows the fault between the Whetstone Block and the San Pedro Block. A short spur trail at the upper portion of the Foothills Loop Trail leads visitors to the scenic Mountain...

Sometime around 500,000 year ago water started eroding the limestone in the hill before you and formed the caverns. They were discovered by a couple of hikers who slithered through a very small slit and discovered a gigantic cavern. The caverns were kept a secret for several years before plans were made to form a state park and open the caverns to...

Your first stop inside Kartchner Caverns State Park should be the exhibit center. They spent quite a bit of money to make it very informative and educational. This is also where you make resrvations to tour the Big Room (if it is between 15 October and 15 April) or the Rotunda Room (year round). Cost to see the Big Room is $12.95 (ages 7 to 13) and...

The last stop is the Smith/Beck House located at 425 Huachuca Street. It was built by A. G. and Mary Woodman Smith. Ms. Smith was the first woman banker in he state. Listed on the National Register of Historic Sites.

The Redfield/Romine House, located at 146 E 6th Street is an example of the Colonial Revival Style popular during Benson's Railroad era. It was built for Leonard D. Redfield the first postmaster in Benson who was later elected mayor in 1925 when Benson was incorporated. Listed on the National Register of Historic Sites.

The twelfth stop is the Apache Powder Historic District which consists of eight residences and a park. The Apache Powder District was built in 1925 by the Apache Powder Company a nitroglycerine plant, for its management personnel. The entire district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A typical bungalow style house built in the...

Benson Restaurants

$12 as of November 2013. The Horse Shoe Cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast fare includes omelets, eggs, ham, and pancakes. The decor is typical southwestern. Service was attentive and the waitresses were very cute. I did not see the menu for lunch or dinner but the sign advertised steak and spirits. The cafe was established in 1936....

lovely themed restaurant modeled after a late 1800’s western railroad station. The motif, though primarily railroad specific, does reflect the characteristics of an entire old west railroad town. There is a sloon for drinks and three dining rooms, named Jenny's Hotel, TJ's Round House, and The Brothel, each take on their own atmosphere and offer an...

Normally, I would not put a fast food restaurant here; but there are three McDonald's in Arizona I will make an exception for. The one in Sierra Vista was the first McDonald's ever to have a drive-thru window. The one in Sedona is the only one with arches some color other than "golden" (they are teal green). And this one seemed unique too. You've...

Benson Nightlife

The picnic table across the street from Texaco that has an open sewage line right under it... (it seems that this place has been deserted for a while, but you can always try).The smell of sewage, and you can meet new people (homeless people, drug addicts, criminals, and the local police).

Dress Code:
Pants are generally required.

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Benson Local Customs

Doc Holiday is a soda that you will see no where else in the world, but is widely available in the little town of Benson. Strangely enough, I have never seen it in Tucson, even though it is supposedly produced here.Go to either the Horse Shoe Cafe or the local Dairy Queen and ask for it. It's available in the same fountain as other, more well-known...

Learn basic Spanish pronunciation. Most people around here (myself included) find it amusing when tourists say things like 'aw-ka-tilo' instead of 'oh-ka-tee-yo'... and they are 'HA-le-pen-yos', not 'ja-le-pen-os'.

Benson Warnings and Dangers

Heat stroke and/or sunburn are probably the most common. Also, stay out of the desert from sunset on... unless, of course, you like javalinas, terantulas, or rattle snakes. During monsoons there can be mini-floods, mosquitos and abnormally large spiders. Luckily, the people here aren't really dangerous.

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Benson What to Pack

Luggage and bags:
The only experience anyone should ever have in Benson should involve a hotel room for 1 night and possibly the fast food place next to it... So, you should pack for where ever it is that you're actually going.

Photo Equipment:
Strangely enough, there is 1 pretty thing about this town... though I think it's standard for all Arizona towns: sunsets are gorgeous. A camera might be a good idea... if you can find a place to take a picture from without getting any of the town in the picture.

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear:
Camping would be a bad idea, as would going outside in general, and there is no beach.

Miscellaneous:
WATER!!! Cell phone, laptop (you'll need to keep in touch with the real world). Sun block... and if you don't have any you can pick some up from any store in town.

When Father Kino pass through here in 1692 and when Spanish explorers pass through here as early as 1539, a tribe of Sobaipuri Native Americans were the first settlers here in the San Pedro Valley for...